Matches
The first #CLFplate was contested in a best of five sets match with each set best of five legs. However, it was decided to increase it to a best of seven set match for the second inaugural event on January 10 2014 October 10 2013: Florence 3 Finnerty 1 Nerves were the order of the day in the inaugural #CLFplate after the Staffordshire Oatcakes had been consumed. Stepping up to the oche and Oliver Florence won the throw for bull. After an average start Joe Finnerty took over and won the first set. Buzzing with confidence, Finnerty went on to post several ton-plus scores in the second set before missing a crucial dart at double top. With Florence not far behind, Finnerty crumbled and lost the set. Florence dominated the third set taking a 2-1 lead and despite a tense final set, Finnerty was unable to recover his finishing after the devastating miss earlier to take a 2-0 lead. Florence closed out the match to win 3-1. Averages: Florence 3 Finnerty 1 Florence - 35.07 Finnerty - 34.55 January 10 2014: Florence 0 Finnerty 4 In the first ever best of seven #CLFplate, the stage was set for a classic. Both armed with new flights, Joe Finnerty and Oliver Florence stepped up to the oche full of confidence at the Ladygrove Arena. Finnerty took the darts with a wonderful throw for the bull, hitting the 25. However, Florence went on to take the first leg leaving Finnerty rueing missed doubles. However, this was only one of two legs that Florence won all night. Finnerty stormed back to take the first set 3-1 and it was soon two sets to nil after a devastating string of scores, a 110 checkout the highlight of the whitewash set. As the match entered the third set, Florence started to find some consistency and levelled the set at 1-1. A crucial third leg was played and after numerous missed doubles, Finnerty finally struck double one before closing out the set. At 3-0, it was a long way back for Florence and Finnerty showed a killer instinct alongside some ton plus scores to close out another whitewash set. The 4-0 win was brought up with a double six finish. Florence bemoaned the fact he had remeasured the oche moments before the start and this uncertainty played havoc with his mental state. Threats to quit the game were followed by moves to change his grip - only time will tell whether this is a success. Meanwhile, Claire Louise French, the plate's namesake, was on hand to present the trophy two days later after a trip to the Toby Carvery (pictured right). April 25 2014: Florence 4 Finnerty 0 The third instalment of the #CLFplate was scheduled for April 11 but a new role on the getsurrey.co.uk live blog meant the date was postponed. A new date was fixed for April 25. In what was an unusually short build up to the competition, much of the talk centred on whether the Ladygrove Arena would be ready in time after Richard Spiller had put several holes in the wall during an exhibition match. With the damage repaired all seemed to running smoothly until a blockage in the arena toilets was discovered. Luckily the obstruction was not so serious that the rising waters reached the oche and play was unaffected. The facilities were later unblocked using a toilet brush. Before the first dart was thrown, the players enjoyed the traditional pre-match meal of Staffordshire oatcakes filled with cheese and beans, although Florence gave up one of his two to Guy Martin (who Florence beat three legs to nil in a warm-up). Martin was visiting the arena on his way back from work and, after sampling the Midlands delicacy, took the decision to pull out of a scheduled trip to the East Putney branch of Nando's. Using his new Martian flights, the defending champion threw first but was soon struggling as Florence's superior finishing helped him take an early lead. A fine 140 from Finnerty wasn't enough as Florence took the first set 3-1 with a 66 check out. Having stopped the rot from the previous #CLFplate, Florence looked to turn the screw and closed out the second set by the same scoreline. It was an identical story in the third with the Burpham Badger's 97 two dart checkout one of the great moments in the history of the tableware tussle. At 3-0 down, Finnerty briefly rallied but again struggled to hit his doubles, letting Florence in to win the set 3-2 and secure the plate with a straight sets win, in what Spiller described as the 'biggest turnaround since the Ashes'. A despondent Finnerty was left with a pineapple jelly as a consolation prize. Averages Florence 38.84 Finnerty 35.03 October 10 2014: Florence 4 Finnerty 2 The third holding of the #CLFplate was set for exactly a year to the day since the first held. Following the decision to scrap the summer holding and make the #CLFplate a tri-annual affair, anticipation for this was high. The contest was tinged with sadness after the announcement earlier in the day of the death of Flo, the popular cat mascot of the Ladygrove Arena and a keen student of darts. Flo could often be found wandering on to the oche during matches or observing proceedings from afar and the two contestants were eager to put on a good showing in her honour. Before the match there was a change to the pre-match meal when a new supplier failed to deliver any oatcakes. The players instead made do with pizza. As the action got underway, Florence continued where he had left off from the April match, dropping just one leg as he raced in to a 2-0 lead in sets. With Finnerty facing the ignominy of successive whitewashes, he rallied to take the third set 3-1 before normal service was restored in the fourth - the Burpham Badger edging it 3-2. Finnerty found himself 2-0 down in the vital fifth set, but a spectacular 72 finish (20, 12, tops) in the third leg reinvigorated the Kennington-based dartist and he completed the comeback to take the set. Florence however could see the finishing line and took the sixth set 3-1 to become the first three-time winner of the plate and the only player in history to retain the famous ceramic trophy. His victory, which included eight ton plus scores, was dedicated to Flo. Averages: Florence 35.54 Finnerty 34.30 January 24 2015: Florence 4 Finnerty 1 The fifth #CLFplate was scheduled for January 24 with the unusual decision taken to move the match to a Saturday - it had previously been held on a midweek evening. The build up to the first matchup of 2015 - the third calendar year in which the #CLFplate has been contested - was shrouded in uncertainty as to where it might be held. Contractual discussions were held as to whether to move the match to a new Kennington venue - Crampton Circus - where Finnerty had recently installed a darts board or to continue at the #CLFplate's spiritual home, the Ladygrove Arena. However, after many deliberations by the #CLFplate Board, a announcement was made to keep the event at the Ladygrove Arena. A report issued to media stated: "Crampton Circus is an unproven venue. It could probably do with proving its worth in a friendly fixture." Finnerty also confirmed he'd purchased new darts for the tie - a set of 24g Winmau arrows made from 90% tungsten with aluminium shafts. It was part of a new training regime that sought to wrestle the #CLFplate back. With Finnerty putting in the long hours on the practice board, his confidence soared and he claimed he was in the form of his life. Florence on the other end lost a three leg showdown in the Rowbarge pub in Guildford to rookie thrower Richard Spiller. Despite the two players' varying fortunes in the build-up, the consensus was that the fifth #CLFplate would be one of the closest yet. The bookies could hardly the split the players with tipster Spiller making Florence marginal favourite. Former colleague Amy Taylor meanwhile predicted the clash would go all the way with Florence triumphing by the odd set in seven. Finnerty spent the day of the match relaxing at home, having a leisurely meal including a bowl of rice pudding, while Florence had tickets to the FA Cup fourth round fixture between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City. Never an easy journey at the best of times, rail repair work by South West Trains meant the trip to White Hart Lane threatened to sap the energy levels of the Burpham Badger even more than normal - not an ideal situation ahead of such a big contest. As a result of the long trek to and from north London, the #CLFplate did not get underway until 9.20pm, the latest start time for the competition so far, amid speculation that if, as predicted, the match up turned into a classic, it could be the first to be played over two days. Ahead of the throw for bull - Finnerty taking the honours in the most pointless moment in sport - Florence threw a 140 in practice before controversially immediately retiring his stems and flights in place of a fresh set. His high score set the tone for what was to come and just 20 minutes later, Florence was 1-0 to the good, winning three legs on the trot with some clinical finishing. Finnerty knew that the next period of play was crucial and he responded well to go 2-0 up in legs, before losing the next three to drop the set. The highlight was a quite splendid 140 from Florence, with the third dart just millimetres from the treble 20 and close to completing what would have been the first 180 in the history of the competition. The host was now flying and he went 3-0 ahead in sets when he won the third set 3-1. Finnerty then took a comfort break to try and disrupt the momentum and regroup. Initially normal service resumed after the restart with Florence taking out 82 with the unorthodox combination of 18, treble 14, double 11, to win the first leg of the fourth set. The Martian was not finished though and, desperate to avoid a whitewash, his trip to the toilet seemed to help him find some form to win three legs on the bounce to clinch the set as Florence began to tire from the earlier exertions of the day. With Finnerty threatening a comeback, Florence knew he had to muster some extra energy and he dug deep in the fifth set to win 3-0. Such was his confidence on his favourite double, that he split the 40 he needed to win the match, hitting 20 then double ten. Florence became the first person to win the #CLFplate three times in a row with his victory coming at around 11.35pm. In all he hit 11 scores of 100 plus, to Finnerty's five. The two finished the evening with some pineapple jelly, Richard Spiller having providing the ingredients the previous evening in Wimbledon. The next day, Finnerty revealed that he was considering his future in the game and the possibility of taking some time out on a mountain retreat. Averages Florence 36.71 Finnerty 33.99 May 5 2015: Florence 3 Finnerty 4 After two postponements due to family engagements, the sixth instalment of the #CLFplate was scheduled for Monday May 4th. With Florence having won the three previous encounters, the talk ahead of the game was that if he won again, should the encounter be shelved altogether. The game also marked the first time it'd been played on a Monday and more controversially under daylight conditions. The Bank Holiday afforded both players a leisurely morning to prepare before the start at 1.20pm. The pre-match meal rituals were also changed with chicken fajitas - courtesy of El Paso - on the menu instead of the traditional oatcakes. Onto the game though and Florence won the throw for bull - often dubbed as 'the most pointless moment in sport'. Minutes later after Finnerty had taken the first leg on double top, the match was interrupted due to a text message from Guy Martin. Martin has history in the plate, playing a warm up match against Florence before the April match almost a year to the day and even eating an oatcake. Martin's involvement this time was more serious as he raised questions about the health of Spurs and Chelsea legend Jimmy Greaves. The game was delayed while it was established if he was still alive. With fears allayed and Greaves only in hospital the match continued and Finnerty cantered to a 3-1 win taking out double top in each of the legs. The fast starting Finnerty stepped up the pace in the second set too. More deadly finishing combined with Florence's inability to hit a double sent Finnerty 2-0 up in sets courtesy of another 3-1 win. With a whitewash on, Florence - the four time defending champion - turned the style on. The doubles started to fall and as the clock ticked over to one hour and 20 minutes, Florence had wrapped up the set to close the gap to 2-1. Finnerty remained unbowed though. Having not won the plate since January 2014, he was determined to get over the line and pushed on to take a 3-1 lead with an incident free fourth set. Finishing - so often an Achilles heel of the Martian - was proving a trump card as Florence struggled on the outer ring, unable to claw himself back into it. At 3-1 down, many players would have folded but Florence showed why he's regarded as the greatest player to hold an arrow in the #CLFplate and fought back. Some big scoring including a miscounted 122 and a huge 154 - unconfirmed as the highest ever plate score - helped him win the set by the 3-1 score line and close the match to 3-2. Quickly turning into a classic, the game ebbed and flowed in the sixth set and with it tied at 2-2, Finnerty missed darts for the match. Florence, meanwhile, showed nerves of steel and finally found the finishing touch to level the game up at three sets apiece. Not since the game out of which the #CLFplate was born had things been so tight between the pair and after a sporting handshake the decider started. Finnerty, with his opening three darts, scored zero. All three finding a home above double top - nerves were starting to tell. The score evoked memories of Gary 'The Flying Scotsman' Anderson in the world final when his darts fell out the board. Despite this comical moment, Finnerty recovered and charged into a 2-0 lead. Florence, flagging as the game entered its fourth hour, couldn't find the doubles yet again. It left Finnerty - who had hit five 100-plus scores and one 140 - with a clear path to glory and with 35 left on the board, he confidently hit treble three, double 14 with two darts. Tragically, he'd miscounted and the winning double was in fact double 13. Florence, however, was unable to capitalise on the calculation error and when Finnerty finally hit double 2 the game was over. Finnerty, so often the loser, lept into the air in celebration at the 4-3 win before being presented with the #CLFplate by a magnanimous Florence, who had hit 11 100-plus scores and one 140 in defeat. After three and a half hours play, 1,200 darts had been thrown and a mile walked by each of the competitors. Both commented on what an honour it was to play in the classic match that befitted the occasion. After the game, a New York cheesecake was enjoyed by both players as they took the opportunity to sit down after the gruelling match and rest weary limbs. The #CLFplate now takes its annual summer break before the autumn event when Florence will be looking to regain his title. Averages Florence 34.06 Finnerty 34.99 November 7 2015: Florence 4 Finnerty 1 Two years on from the first staging of the #CLFplate, there was renewed interest in the contest after the summer break and Finnerty's surprise victory last time around. As normal there was wrangling over the date of the fixture with the competition initially scheduled to take place on Friday October 23 before Finnerty expressed concerns about the time available to practice and transport difficulties on a weeknight. It was eventually inked in for Saturday November 7, just days after The Martian's return from Las Vegas, where he had been ostensibly for a 'motor show', although rumours abounded that he had taken himself off to a darts training camp. Florence once again warmed up with a series of friendly encounters against Richard Spiller, this time in the Anchor and Horseshoe pub after a table football table had been placed on the oche at the previous venue of the Rowbarge, rendering it nigh on impossible to play darts. Whereas in January, Spiller had pulled off one of the biggest shocks in sport with victory over the Burpham Badger, this time he was comfortably dispatched after some heavy scoring from Florence - Spiller's only attempt at landing a double instead hitting Scotland on the Rugby World Cup wallchart under the board. The day of the big match was marked by heavy rain and stormy conditions and a minor technical hitch when it was discovered that one of the bulbs above the board had blown, evoking memories of the plate of April 2014 and the blockage in the Ladygrove Arena toilet. The replacement bulb then smashed after it was accidentally dropped on the floor before a second new one was sourced to allow the match to go ahead under the full complement of lights. After an absence of more than a year, there was a welcome return for Staffordshire oatcakes for the pre-match meal, kindly bought by Florence's sister in Leicester and served with cheese and Heinz Five Beanz, consisting of red kidney, haricot, pinto, borlotti and cannellini. On the oche, Florence was quickest out of the traps, starting with a throw of 100 and racing to a 2-0 lead in the first set. Finnerty struck back to level though, before Florence pinched the final leg with the unconventional finish of double 6, double 4. A 1-0 lead soon turned to 2-0, after a second set that Finnerty declared had 'no highlights'. Florence's 140 was the stand out moment in a 3-0 triumph. The Martin however was then sparked in to life and benefited from a change in aim to treble 19s to take the third set 3-1 and give himself renewed hope of holding on to the plate. Normal service was soon resumed in the fourth however, with Florence peppering the treble 20, despite him claiming to be suffering from a 'tired arm'. After closing out the set 3-1, he smelt victory and the vanilla and chocolate swirl cheesecake that Finnerty had provided for after the action, and went on to clinch the fifth and ultimately final set by the same score, going out on the famous double 4. The new champion's nine ton-plus scores helped him to become the first player in #CLFplate history to average above 40, while Finnerty breached the century mark three times. Averages Florence 41.69 Finnerty 38.38 January 8 2016: Florence 4 Finnerty 2 With Finnerty having finally erected a practice board in his bedroom in the run up, there were high hopes the eighth plate could be one of the closest so far, particular as holder Florence’s preparation mainly consisted of a few throws of magnetic darts at a toy board over Christmas. As was becoming customary there were fears about the state of the Ladygrove Arena in the days preceding the competition. In addition to the holes in the wall from an early morning darts tournament after the Stoke Mill Christmas party there was also a long running issue with the facilities. Thankfully the flush was fixed just hours before the first throw, meaning the players did not have to resort to using the bathroom bucket. With a pre match meal of pizza out the way Florence won the throw for bull, having taken the controversial decision to replace his normal badger flights with some Tottenham Hotspur ones he had received for Christmas. His decision seemed to a good one as he whitewashed the previously confident Finnerty in the first set, with The Martian hitting himself in the face with his hand during one of his throws. The highlight of the second set came when Finnerty had a dart at a 180, hitting single 5, before going down 3-1. All was not lost however as he mounted a fight back in the third before perhaps the most controversial moment in the plate to date. With Finnerty 2-0 up and needing double 10 for the set, Florence accidentally awarded himself the leg on the scoreboard, an act that threatened to disrupt his opponent at a vital moment in the match. Finnerty however immediately stepped up and hit the required double, with a shot that even he admitted surprised himself. In unprecedented scenes, the drama of it all forced Florence in to having a lie down on the bed to recover. With Florence now clearly rattled and struggling to hold it all together, the resurgent Finnerty pressed ahead in the fourth set to win it 3-1, although The Burpham Badger had a bull to save the set in the final leg. Locked at 2-2, Finnerty had the momentum and looked favourite to win back the cherished crockery but it turned out The Martian had peaked too early and he failed to win a further leg in the match. Florence’s scoring swamped his opponent in the fifth set before he closed out the match with double 7 in the third leg of the sixth to become six-time #CLFplate champion. Florence had average 40-plus for the second straight contest and hit 10 tons on his way to victory - compared to just five for Finnerty. The plate was presented in front of the LGA’s newest feature, a weeping fig tree which Florence had been pestered in to buying by Woking reporter Eleanor Davis on an evening trip to Homebase earlier in the week. Averages Florence 40.00 Finnerty 37.75 April 22 2016: Florence 4 Finnerty 2 The ninth edition of the #CLFplate was scheduled for Friday April 22 with Florence looking to win it for a record seventh time and complete his second triple crown having won from April 2014 to January 2015. He was installed as an early favourite this time round and claimed he was looking to match The Great Man's 16 titles as quickly as possible "before my arm goes" and reckoned he could "win with my eyes closed". Tipster Richard Spiller offered odds of 1/4 on Florence and evens on Finnerty. The likelihood of a nine dart finish was put at a not very generous 50-1. All records for this match were lost at the Ladygrove Arena after the ceiling fell in. January 15 2017: Florence 4 Finnerty 2 A busy diary meant the Autumn 2016 plate - the 10th playing of the competition - did not take place until January, with the contest scheduled as a double header alongside the Spring 2017 clash. Florence was the overwhelming favourite to become the first player to complete a calendar grand slam, with tipster Richard Spiller offering odds of 9-4 on for the reigning champion to take both plates. Darts predictor Amy Taylor meanwhile stated that Finnerty would wrest back the celebrated crockery with a 4-3 win. On the morning of the match, Florence paid a visit to his barber, who it transpired also acts as personal hairdresser to Fulham manager Slaviša Jokanović. Finnerty meanwhile made the journey down from the capital by train with a strawberry trifle, having discovered an empty cheesecake section in the Tesco next to New Malden station. The decision was taken to eat the traditional pre-match meal of oatcakes with cheese and beans after the first of the back-to-back encounters, and, having completed the formalities of a pre-throw trip to the arena's facilities, Finnerty hit outer bull in the "most pointless moment in sport" to have the honour of starting the game. With The Martian starting slowly, Florence took the first set 3-0, giving rise to fears that Finnerty's long fallow run without a plate would extend in to 2017. Worse was to come too when, in the next leg, The Burpham Badger took out 109 (60,9,D20), on his way to a 3-1 win in the second set. With the host cruising, the Kennington-based arrowsmith knew he needed something special and from nowhere produced one of the CLF Plate's great moments. Needing 83, he became the first player in the tournament's history to hit tops tops (D20,D20) while aiming for it to sneak in to a 2-1 lead in the third. Clearly unsettled at the possibility a comeback from Finnerty could delay the oatcake offering scheduled for after the game, Florence decided sustenance was needed and opened the packet of pea crisps that had been imported from the far east and stored in the LGA kitchen for a special occasion. The green pea and corn-based snack however played havoc with Florence's throw, with the holder failing to take account of the risk of slippery fingers. Finnerty saw the chance to pounce and took the third set 3-2. Florence rallied to win the next two legs - a 140 followed by a 121 a highlight - but Finnerty hit back to win the following three and level up the match at 2-2 in sets. The challenging chucker edged in to the lead for the first time by winning the next leg, checking out 90 with T18,D18, while Florence struggled to find his range on the doubles. With D20 failing to be his friend, he made the decision to concentrate on D16s, a move that seemed to reinvigorate his game. With the match entering its third hour the darts became a war of attrition with Florence edging the fifth set 3-2. The sixth also went to 2-2, before the Burpham-based thrower wrapped up his eighth title by hitting D1 - a fitting way to end a contest, which while tense, failed to reach the heights of previous meetings. With the contest clocking in at just north of the three hour mark, the decision was taken to postpone the 11th CLF Plate until a later date. Averages Florence 37.17 Finnerty 36.26